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Turkey's Interior Ministry says 89 terrorists neutralized in March

04 April 2020 12:17 (UTC +04:00)

Turkish security forces neutralized 24 YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria, the Defense Ministry said Saturday, APA reports citing Daily Sabah.

"24 PKK/YPG terrorists, who were attempting to infiltrate the Operation Peace Spring zone were successfully neutralized by our heroic command," the ministry said on Twitter.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralize" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terrorist operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable peaceful settlement by locals — Euphrates Shield in 2016, Olive Branch in 2018, Peace Spring in 2019 and Spring Shield in 2020.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry said Saturday that 89 terrorists were neutralized in domestic anti-terror operations in March.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU — has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.